


More Than A Day

by PinkRangerV



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Dark, Brainwashing, Episode: King For A Day AU, Gen, No Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-04
Updated: 2014-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-11 03:37:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1168203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkRangerV/pseuds/PinkRangerV
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the 'King For A Day' arc goes differently, the path of the Ranger Corps is permanently altered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I think my entire thoughts on this process are a long string of swearing at whatever bunnies from hell decided it'd be funny to create this. That said, I'm trying to keep everyone in-character *and* dark, so it'll get interesting.

The images started again.

 

Kat didn’t look. She was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, curled into a tight ball. She couldn’t lift her head.

 

_“Yeah! Good job guys!”_ Jason cheered.

 

If she believed hard enough maybe she could make herself think Jason was in this room with her. That the explosions were just background noise, and her friends were--

 

The metal around her wrists and ankles surged with electricity. Kat hadn’t answered the question. She didn’t scream anymore. It was just a muffled wail of pain, physical and emotional, that ended in sobbing like Kat hadn’t since...well, since Rita.

 

Even Rita had been better then this. Kat felt a sudden surge of wishfulness, of unidentifiable desperation. Rita would have killed the whole Machine Empire and crooned soft songs as she bandaged Kat’s wounds.

 

Where was her _team_? Why couldn’t they _save her_?

 

Why was she alone?

  
Pain surged through Kat again, and this time she did scream.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a huge chunk of this written out, and I hope to finish it tonight. So chapters will be posted pretty quickly. Also, abusive shit starts here, and I'm *not* kidding, this is an abusive relationship, not stylized at all, and will end up involving stockholm syndrome\brainwashing (can't figure out what side of the coin it falls on). Trigger warning for any chapter here on out.

Gasket didn’t have a heart, but it nearly stopped when he saw Zeo Ranger 5 standing outside of Zeo Ranger 1’s cell.

 

No. Not Zeo Ranger 5. Emperor Tommy of the Machine Empire.

 

Gasket had never seen someone re-structure an entire empire so efficiently, or so brutally. No wonder the Emperor had held the Power longer than any other Ranger--he was _terrifyingly_ capable, singlehandedly destroying almost all of the Machine Empire’s practices and reforming it into what would soon be an empire of...well…

 

Was _good_ even the right word?

 

The Emperor was Evil. No one doubted that; he fell firmly on the same side as Zedd and Rita of the Dark Dimensions and Dark Spectre. But the words ‘good’ and ‘evil’, the Earth-language terms, held an element of morality that the Emperor did not.

 

The Empire’s citizens, machine or organic, were now free equals. They were to be fed, and clothed, and cared for. They were to be given the tools to contribute to the Empire.

 

And they were expected to contribute. Completely. There was a war on, after all.

 

Honor and tyranny. Gasket had never seen this combination before. He’d never met an Emperor who would both recognize his princely lines and still retain total control; who would order orphanages and rest homes built, then turn and order the imprisonment of an entire system that openly supported their own Power Rangers.

 

He had no idea what to make of it.

 

“Gasket? Where are the controls?”

 

“I beg your pardon, Sire?” Gasket asked.

 

“For this room.” The Emperor was examining the walls around the door. “This is unacceptable, Gasket. This prisoner will be transferred at once, and since _apparently_ I am the only one capable of it, I may as well do it myself.”

 

“Ah, excuse me, Sire, but that is not wise…” Gasket started.

 

The Emperor raised his head.

 

Emperor Tommy did not wear the uniform of Zeo Ranger 5 anymore. He refused to wear the armor of the cowardly Ranger Corps. Instead he wore the best armor the Machine Empire (or at least that little shit Clank) had been able to create, made of what looked like thin plates of armor, covering his whole body and most of his head. It left his eyes clear, to blaze through his subjects.

 

Gasket understood, suddenly, how these petty organics might be _feared_.

 

Still, he wasn’t that stupid. If the Emperor _remembered_ …”Sire, Zeo Ranger 1 was deeply involved in the...incident...that took your memory.” For the sake of their survival, Gasket and Machina had retreated after that fateful battle in the arena, concocting a story that would fit the available evidence. It wasn’t hard; the Machine Empire had a lot of footage of Rangers _fighting_ , but not a lot of Rangers doing anything _else_. Just keeping the Emperor away from footage for a while, hinting at horrible memories, then ‘discovering’ him accessing files…

 

As far as the Emperor knew, Rita had kidnapped him for her own purposes, and the Rangers had stolen him to use as a weapon. Abused and exploited, it had taken an amnesia-inducing concussion for Gasket, the Emperor’s most loyal advisor and foster-brother, to rescue him.

 

Gasket wasn’t about to risk that.

 

“Thank you for your concern.” The Emperor said, snapping Gasket out of his thoughts. (Strange. Gasket ran a quick self-diagnostic and came up with nothing. His processing power was ridiculously low, however. He made a note for future reference to do a full self-diagnostic relatively soon.) And the Emperor _meant_ it, Gasket could see it in the thousand or so microexpressions showing sympathy and loyalty and gratitude. “But we’re the _good guys_. This is unacceptable.”

 

Shit.

 

“Call the--” The Emperor waved a hand. Out of nowhere, Cogs appeared in a flash of green fire. “...Thank you.”

 

Gasket hadn’t called them.

 

He bowed. “Of course.”

 

***

 

The door opened.

 

“ _Tommy_ \--” It was a prayer and a cry of joy and as Kat stood to run to him he raised his hands and she flinched away, her hand going to her wrist.

 

“It’s all right.” Tommy said quietly. Oh, god, what had they _done_ to him? He looked more machine than human, covered in that scale-like metal with only his face showing. “No one’s going to hurt you again. Rest assured, when I find out who did that, they _will_ pay.”

 

Kat blinked.

 

“May I?” Tommy reached out a hand. Slowly, painfully slowly--it was too hard, anymore, to give any sign of trust or let anyone near--Kat uncurled her wrist and let Tommy take it. The gloves he wore were cool to the touch, but Tommy didn’t squeeze her wrist or threaten her, just gently traced over the scabbed wounds that would probably scar.

 

“Tommy?” Kat asked. Her voice didn’t tremble. Of course not. Not now. She was Zeo Ranger 1 and Pink Ninjetti and had Kimberly to live up to; she knew she couldn’t afford fear and so she wouldn’t show it. “Are you all right?”

 

Tommy snorted. “I’m sure I’ll never be as _happy_ as I was with you, Pink Ranger, but I’m fine.”

 

“What does _that_ mean?”

 

The blow came out of nowhere. Kat nearly fell to the ground, but Tommy still held her wrist, and used almost no pressure to catch her. Kat tore her wrist away, stumbling back.

 

She was shaking from fear.

 

“Gasket told me what you did, Pink Ranger.” Tommy said coldly. There was death in his eyes. “While the other Rangers were torturing me, you tried to convince me I _deserved_ it. I don’t remember any of that, but--”

 

“It never _happened_! I would never do that to you, Tommy!” Kat burst out.

 

Tommy strode forward and struck Kat again. This time she fell to the ground.

 

Kat pushed herself up slowly, her head ringing with the force of Tommy’s blows. She tasted blood in her mouth.

 

“If you wish,” Tommy said, “You may stay here for the rest of your life, devoted to your Rangers. Or, you can renounce your old ways.”

 

Kat looked up, torn between terror and disbelief. Was he _serious_?

 

“It won’t be easy.” Tommy said. “And don’t expect trust overnight. But if you want to earn a place in my Empire…”

 

...He was serious. Completely, totally serious.

 

Tommy studied Kat for a minute, then turned and walked away.

 

***

 

What was he doing?

 

It was 0200 and Tommy was watching footage almost obsessively, trying to guess at the relationship between himself and the Pink Ranger. She’d brainwashed him, yes, but in that arena, she’d _demorphed_. He could have crushed her skull with a single punch, and yet the Pink Ranger had reached out and embraced him, calling him by name and begging him to remember her.

 

Would a true villain even _want_ that? Why hadn’t she wanted him to kneel at her feet, consider himself beneath her? Tommy had studied known Earth brainwashing techniques--the internet made it sadly easy--and knew that she would have created the idea of guilt and shame in him. She would have tried to make him the perpetual sinner, and her the absolver.

 

But the first Pink Ranger had fled that role. She’d...what, run away? And left this new one--Katherine--in her place.

 

The Pink Ranger had _honestly believed_ she was going to help Tommy. And Tommy had to know _why_.

 

“Sire?”

 

Tommy glanced behind him. “Hello, brother.”

 

“What are you doing up so late?” And wasn’t that Gasket all over--worried for his foster brother at every turn. Tommy was glad Mondo had shown up in the arena when he did, had _done_  what he did. At least his foster father had shown his true colors where it could be dealt with simply.

 

Not everything was so easy.

 

“The Pink Ranger...something’s off about her.” Tommy confided. “She has some sort of secret, Gasket. I wonder if we could recruit her to our cause.”

 

“No!” Gasket burst out. “No-- _Brother_ \--after what she _did_ to you?”

 

“That’s the thing.” Tommy paused the footage, then skipped through the scenes. “See here? That’s a totally different height and build than our prisoner. I think there were two Pink Rangers, brother. This one...she might not be as much of a villain as she seems.”

 

Gasket hesitated. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything?”

 

“If I remembered anything I think I’d be suicidal right now.” Tommy half-joked flatly.

 

Gasket studied the first Pink Ranger. The differences were obvious to an organic like Tommy; they’d be blatant to a machine. “Just because she’s new doesn’t mean she’s not dangerous.”

 

“No, she is.” Tommy stood and stretched, yawning. “But if she’s useful we can hurt the Rangers without sacrificing any more of our citizens. I don’t like doing that, brother.”

 

Gasket nodded. “I know.”

 

Tommy glanced at the footage one last time…

 

...wait.

 

Tommy picked up the remote and pressed play. The footage showed the first Pink Ranger surrounded by Tengas, falling...and then clicking to the second Pink Ranger staring at her hands.

 

Like she’d never seen the uniform before.

 

“Gasket. What’s missing here?” Tommy demanded.

 

“...I’m not sure.” Gasket confessed.

 

Tommy grinned and turned, clapping his foster brother on the shoulder. “I think I know what. Our answer.”

 

Gasket groaned.

 

Tommy chuckled. “Come on, who doesn’t love a good mystery? Let’s get to bed. Tomorrow we’ll find that. Just like old times, hunh, brother?”

 

“Yes. Just like old times.”

 

***

 

Kat knew her face was blossoming in bruises. She could feel the swelling and tenderness. Still, when Tommy walked in she tried to steel herself, to not show fear.

 

She was a Power Ranger. She needed to make the others proud. Make Zordon and Kimberly proud.

 

She had to be worthy of the Power.

 

Tommy was quiet for a minute, then said, “This was a much easier conversation to start in my head.”

 

Kat laughed. It was a startlingly bitter sound. She’d been in this cell for three days. Unharmed, yes, but with nothing but her own thoughts she was starting to feel as if she were going insane. “Let me guess. Here to gloat about how some battle went?” Kat got to her feet, stalking forward, her heels clicking against the floor, a sound that made her feel powerful, elegant. “Brag about some plan? Tell me how you are _invincible_?”

 

He hit her face again, and this time she tripped over her own heels.

 

“Well, what do you expect.” Kat grumbled quietly, getting up again. “I’m your _prisoner_ , I’m not exactly _happy_ with you at the moment.”

 

“I am the Emperor of the Machine Empire. You will speak to me respectfully.” Tommy ordered coldly.

 

Kat said nothing. She didn’t know if she wanted to hit him or sob on his shoulder.

 

Tommy turned away, the cape he was wearing swirling around him in a burst of dark red. Finally he said, his tone tightly controlled, “I need answers. If you give them to me, you will not be harmed.”

 

“Tommy...no.” Kat almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it, almost wept. She was getting hysterical, but she didn’t know what to do about it. “You wouldn’t hurt me. I _know_ you, you’d never do that. I’m your teammate, don’t you remem--”

 

This time she caught the blow on her forearm, but the second blow to her stomach knocked her down. Tommy caught her by the arm, dragging her up and kicking her midsection. Kat cried out, curling up, but the blows stopped as suddenly as they’d started.

 

“Let me make something clear to you, Zeo Ranger 1.” Tommy said. Kat shut her eyes, trying to block out the blossoming pain. “I was not your _teammate_. You _brainwashed me_. I will not tolerate any more lies. You may address me freely, but you will not lie to me.” Tommy paused, wry humor coming through his tone. “I’d tell you to call me by my title, but I doubt you will.”

 

Kat wanted to cry.

 

When she opened her eyes, Tommy’s hand was held out. Kat took it and got to her feet, walking over to her cot and sitting down. Tommy remained standing.

 

“You are the second Pink Ranger. Correct?” Tommy asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Before you became a Ranger, Rita, currently Empress of the Dark Dimensions and wife to Zedd, kidnapped and enslaved you for half a year.”

 

“Yes.” A soft, broken whisper, because that was a pain all of its own, and Kat felt the familiarity well up, somehow comforting in the face of all this new pain.

 

Tommy considered that. “When you joined the Rangers, how did it happen?”

 

“You were there.” Kat was pleading with that sentence. “You--you told me, after I told Kimberly, that I shouldn’t blame myself--”

 

“From the beginning.”

 

Kat stopped and took a breath. She didn’t think about it until halfway through organizing her thoughts...but she couldn’t help him if he didn’t understand, she knew that, it was all right to obey him, wasn’t it? “I stole Kimberly’s Power Coin. When Kimberly was powerless, Zedd kidnapped her and tried to drain her life force. You rescued Kimberly, but she...she kept trying to go on like nothing had happened. Like she wasn’t in danger. Do…” Kat hesitated, afraid of a blow. “Do you remember what happens? When a Ranger loses the Power?”

 

“No.” Tommy shook his head.

 

Kat bit her lip. What if Tommy used that against the others? “She was...weak.” Kat settled for saying. “Very weak. And she was alone, training--she _loved_ gymnastics, do you remember that?”

 

“Why should I remember what someone who abused me liked?” Tommy snapped.

 

“No! She--” Kat stopped herself, terrified.

 

Tommy raised an eyebrow. “She what?”

 

“Never mind.” Kat whispered, staring at her lap.

 

“Did you know us well?” Tommy asked.

 

Kat snorted. “Rita and Zedd spied on you nearly constantly. I knew _everything_ about you. And I...I just wanted someone to save me. But I had to save myself.” Kat shut her eyes. No. No more memories. No more. “I woke up just after Kim...she fell from the balance beam. I found her and rung the hospital. When she was awake, I told her...told her what I’d done.”

 

The memory burned, suddenly. Of Tommy walking in and saying, as if he knew the entire conversation, _“You couldn’t help it.”_

 

Forgiveness, and welcome, and safety. Everything Kat had ever craved.

 

“You told me it wasn’t my fault.” Kat was an idiot, she didn’t know why she was saying this, Tommy was going to beat her to death if she didn’t shut up, “You told me that Rita recruited you, too. You and the others, you--you _forgave_ me, you kept me safe even when I would have sacrificed myself, I…” Kat laughed; it wasn’t a normal laugh and it just sounded _wrong_ to her own ears. “Tommy, you and the others were the best thing to happen to me.”

 

Tommy was silent.

 

He turned and stormed out without warning, and Kat rose to her feet, calling his name, but he was gone. She sank down again, burying her head in her hands.

 

Oh, god, how she hated crying.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay, more chapter, more plot, fun stuff. Moving from 'prisoner\captor' to 'abuser\victim' in terms of relationship. I would like to insert much swearing at my bunnies here.

Tommy walked into the throne room and tore his helmet from his head. The holographic display died, and Tommy tossed the metal aside with a loud clang.

 

“Your Majesty! Are you--” Clank started.

 

“Whoever came up with that faceless helmet was an idiot.” Tommy snapped, trying not to run a hand over his cheek. “If you want to help, go find someone who actually _knows_ how to make armor for organics, and get them to come here and _make me some_.”

 

“Yes, your Majesty, right away, your Majesty.” Clank agreed, bobbing in a bow and running off.

 

Tommy glared at Earth with the fury of a thousand supernovas. Damn the planet. Damn the _Rangers_. He’d gone into that battle with what Gasket had assured him was the finest armor and weaponry they could find, and the Rangers had all but kicked him around like trash cans. It was ridiculous! He’d beaten them singlehandedly in the arena, paid Zeo Gold back for every blow and knocked out Zeo 1 with barely a touch, and now he was…

 

...feeling the pain fade from his ribs, and his breathing lighten, as Sprocket shouted, “Tommy, Tommy, you’re glowing!”

 

Tommy touched his face.

 

He could feel the wound healing under his skin. When he drew his hand away, beautiful green...something sparkled on his hand.

 

 _Magic_.

 

“Queen Machina?” She’d never liked being called ‘foster-mother’, but Tommy still had to resist the urge, especially after Rita’s... _tinkering_...with his emotions. “What _is_ this? Have I ever..?”

 

“No!” Machina gasped. “Nothing of the sort! What _is_ that?” She shuffled over to Tommy, examining his hand. “Why...it looks like _magic_!”

 

“ _What_?”

 

“Of course!” Archerina said. “That must be why Rita wanted you! Some organics have the ability--”

 

A vase exploded. It might have been valuable, Tommy didn’t know, but the pieces were shattered all over. Green, Tommy saw, green like the magic and the clothes he’d been wearing…

 

He was going to drown in green.

 

He stormed out.

 

***

 

“Is this what you were hiding from me?”

 

Kat stared. She’d been asleep and Tommy had barged in, pulling her out of her dreams. Now he held out a hand wreathed in green magic.

 

“Is it?” Tommy demanded, his eyes wild.

 

“Tommy...you’re hurt…” There was blood on his cheek. When Kat reached up, Tommy jolted away.

 

“Is this what you were trying to hide?” Tommy growled.

 

“Tommy...I never tried to hide _anything_ from you.”

 

Kat flinched when Tommy raised his hand. But Tommy hesitated, then lowered his hand, as if thinking better of it. “No.” He said quietly. “No, you didn’t.”

 

Kat had no idea what was going on.

 

Tommy turned away. There was silence for a minute, then Kat heard the soft sound of tears.

 

Tommy was crying.

 

Slowly, Kat stood, reaching out. Tommy didn’t flinch when her hand touched his shoulder; he turned, and Kat embraced him.

 

Tommy broke down, sobbing into Kat’s shoulder. Kat held him and whispered soothing nothings and felt tears prick her eyes too.

 

She held him for a long time.

 

***

 

“It’s not like it’s the end of the world!” Gasket burst out.

 

That finally got the door slammed open. “What is _wrong_ with you?” The Emperor yelled. “Just leave me alone! I’m a _freak_ , you idiot, how can I rule an empire like _this_?”

 

“I don’t know, however you did it before now!” Gasket snapped back. The Emperor had killed Mondo, taken Gasket’s father and throne from him, and now he was _whining_ about _magic_?

 

The Emperor tried to punch Gasket in the face.

 

There was a crunch of bone as the Emperor’s hand broke. He screamed and cradled it and suddenly it hit Gasket just how _young_ the Emperor was.

 

How young Tommy was.

 

“I’m sorry.” Tommy gasped. “I’m sorry, that was stupid, I don’t...oh, god, I’m sorry.” He stumbled forward, embracing Gasket, still gasping his apologies.

 

He was like Sprocket, almost, young and naive and so...trusting.

 

Gasket’s arms went up slowly to pat Tommy on the back. Tommy. Not the Emperor. This...this was a boy who, for whatever reason, fully believed that he was Gasket’s brother and ally. Who believed that the Machine Empire could expand beyond anything known.

 

Who laughed at Sprocket’s horrible jokes, and treated Machina with respect. Who had only attacked Mondo after Mondo had tried to kill Archerina. Who expected usefulness from his subjects, but loved them, fiercely.

 

Machines barely considered the thought of being illogical, but this seemed like something beyond logic at all.

 

“It’s all right... _brother_.” Gasket told Tommy quietly. “Listen.” He pushed Tommy away and met the human’s eyes. “Your magic is part of you. Like...like I can remember everything, but you, you forget. It’s the same. It’s just...how we are. And nothing’s wrong with that.”

 

“Promise?” Tommy whispered.

 

“I promise.”

 

Tommy sniffled and coughed, then laughed. “I’m an idiot.”

 

“Of course you are, it runs in the family.”

 

The brothers laughed for a long time.

 

***

 

Kat didn’t get up when Tommy entered. She didn’t have the energy.

 

“Get up, Pink Ranger.” Tommy ordered.

 

“I’m sick, go away.” Kat groaned. She felt horrible, her stomach upset and her body weak. She hated getting sick, it was so annoying.

 

Tommy sighed and crouched next to her. No armor, Kat saw, but rather beautiful robes with a long cape. “I know you’re tired. But I think you can be a useful citizen of the Empire. Don’t you want that?”

 

Kat could have laughed, or maybe thrown up. “I’m American now, haven’t you heard?”

 

Tommy must have had something for slapping her in the face, because he did it far too often, Kat reflected. She curled up defensively, trying not to cry.

 

“Come on, Pink Ranger. You can be happy here.” Tommy coaxed. “I know I’m hard on you, but it’s worth it, I promise.”

 

Kat didn’t respond.

 

Tommy sighed, then picked Kat up by the arms and sat her upright. Kat shivered, but didn’t bother laying down again.

 

“Do you know what brainwashing is?” Tommy asked. Kat nodded. “Good. The Rangers used that on you.” Tommy caught Kat’s chin with his fingertips, tilting it up so their eyes met. “But I _know_ there’s good in you, Katherine.”

 

The use of her name brought just a bit of life into her. Just a bit. She pulled her head away.

 

“You’re in there, Kat.” Tommy whispered. “I’m not giving up on you.”

 

Kat didn’t say anything.

 

Tommy stood up. “You are a citizen of the Empire. You will kneel before the Emperor.”

 

It was ridiculous and horrifying. Kat didn’t acknowledge it.

 

“You will obey me, Katherine.” Tommy warned.

 

“Yes.” Kat had no idea where the words came from but spat them out anyway, her eyes blazing fire as she rose to her feet. “Yes, I will _obey_ you, I will fall at your feet and say whatever you want and give you Jason’s head on a platter, but you will have to beat it into me, Tommy, because I will _never_ let anyone command me like that again!”

 

Tommy smiled wryly. “Because of Rita. I get that.” He raised an eyebrow. “Last chance.”

 

“Never.”

 

Tommy really did like hitting her face, Kat mused on the ground. But then he kicked her ribs, too, and she curled up and tried not to black out.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter than the others, but it's kind of its own chapter. Also skipping over a lot of the brainwashing because the plot will have more emotional impact later if I deal with it then.

Deprogramming and reprogramming Kat was the most intensive work Tommy had ever done, and he didn’t remember anything before the arena.

 

The restoration device Gasket had built was a lifesaver. Kat was stubborn and frightened and very well-trained, and Tommy found he needed his rest, needed time for dreamless sleep. When he took the helmet off, he always felt better. It was sickening to watch as Kat flinched every time he moved, forced herself to fight what she knew was right and good.

 

She was starting to learn, though. Starting to reconsider her views. To remember how Kimberly had brainwashed her--some of what she said, of how Kimberly was kind sometimes, almost motherly, and so cruel others, tearing her down and rebuilding her, made vague pricks in Tommy’s memory, but after a while he got used to it. She cried when she talked, wept openly, and Tommy comforted her as best he could.

 

And she started to believe in him. She didn’t assume he was going to hurt others; she nodded and seemed to think it was obvious when he told her about the problems he’d fixed. They _talked_ sometimes, actually talked about what Tommy’s day had been like and good memories Kat had of Earth and once Kat talked about shapeshifting and showed Tommy her ability to transform.

 

Tommy created green fire in his hand, then crystalized it, making a fire-stone. Kat treasured it like nothing else, and Tommy had, for the first time, felt like his magic might be a _good_ thing.

 

It was wonderful.

 

Neither of them entirely expected it when Kat finally was freed. She’d been playing in her cat-form with Tommy, dancing around while he tried to catch her, an odd game that was half tag, half tickling, and when they’d both stopped laughing and gotten up, Kat knelt and bowed her head.

 

“Kat? Are you--”

 

“Your Imperial Majesty.” Kat said formally. “I beg your leave to serve you and your house. Please.”

 

Tommy was stunned into silence.

 

“I...know I have harmed you in the past, and I...I have no right to ask forgiveness. But please, Sire. Let me pay at least some of the blood I owe you.”

 

Tommy rested his hand on her golden hair. “It was always forgiven. Rise.”

 

She stood by his side in the throne room the next day as he outlined his plan.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *plots punishments for bunnies*

Kat had forgotten how _real_ it felt. Sun; wind; sand below her hands.

 

The cog nearest her kicked her rib, and Kat cried out in pain, leaping to her feet and using the staff she’d ‘stolen’ to fend it off. No--she had no time to linger. Her Emperor needed service. She would serve him. She had to.

 

She hoped the Rangers were _watching_ , though, since the cogs were tossing her around like a toy. She’d spent nearly a week preparing for this role, and it had involved deliberately weakening herself until she was believable as an escaped prisoner. The cogs would kill her if the Rangers didn’t interven--

 

In a blur of black and gold, they did.

 

Kat fell to the ground, biting back a cry and pushing herself upright. The other Rangers were facing off against the monster that Tommy had sent to ‘recover her’.

 

The Pink Ranger ran to her side. “Kat! Are you all right?” Kimberly demanded.

 

Kat’s heart almost stopped. “Y...yes, I--oh god.” A flash of green--no, this wasn’t in the plan, her Emperor would _die_! “No, no no _no_ …”

 

The Emperor appeared in his full battle armor, and he was the most powerful sight Kat had ever seen. Tall, strong, wearing dark green, magical armor...but his face was still visible, hard and chiseled and inhumanly beautiful. The Emperor must be a god, Kat thought dazedly, because that horrible and wonderful power could only come from divinity.

 

“Give me back my prisoner, Rangers, and I might be merciful on her.” The Emperor growled, low and threatening. Kat felt a horrible dread in her. She knew he’d never hurt her, but he was terrifying.

 

“Leave Kat alone!” Kimberly shouted.

 

“Aww, is little Kimmy back to play?” The Emperor mocked. “Hmm... _this_ could be interesting. Maybe I should trade one Pink Ranger for another. That one’s useless to me now.”

 

Kat winced. _No_ , she frantically told herself, _no, god no, he doesn’t mean it. The Emperor loves you. You’re still useful. Oh, god, please._

 

Kimberly drew her arrow and shot at him.

 

Kat gaped. She... _shot at the Emperor_. She’d _loved_ him, hadn’t she, she’d called herself his _girlfriend_ while she brainwashed him, _how_ , how could someone _shoot_ at the merciful and powerful and kind Emperor?

 

Oh, god. The Rangers were the ultimate evil. Kat felt the last vestiges of hope inside her shatter completely. There was _nothing_ worth saving in them.

 

The Emperor caught the arrow and snorted. “Guess not.”

 

“Tommy, don’t do this.” Jason growled a warning, and Kat flinched without thinking. The monster who’d beaten the Emperor, proud and strong, into submission. God, Kat just prayed he didn’t notice her.

 

“That’s _Emperor_ Tommy to you.” The Emperor snarled.

 

Kat didn’t hear what the Rangers said, but there was a flash of pink light and she was teleported away. She fell to her knees in the Power Chamber, biting back the pain she was in.

 

“Ay-yi-yi! Kat, you’re injured!” Alpha shouted, his metal hands helping her stand.

 

“ALPHA. PLACE HER IN THE HEALING BED, QUICKLY.” Zordon commanded. “WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TOMMY DID TO HER.”

 

Kat should have been crying or something but all that she could think was that no, she didn’t want to be in that healing bed, she wanted her Emperor, she wanted to sob on his shoulder and play tag with him and please, please, she wanted to go _home_ \--

 

The Rangers appeared in bursts of teleportation-light, and Jason ran up to Kat, taking her into his arms.

 

Kat screamed and pulled away, falling against the healing bed and struggling to catch herself.

 

“Kat! Kat, it’s me, it’s Jason!” Jason shouted, reaching down. “It’s okay. Just me, okay? I’m right here.”

 

Kat fought down her reactions. This was what her Emperor wanted. She knew that.

 

“J...Jason?” She managed, trying to act relieved and surprised. She looked around the Power Chamber--so frightening now, to be in this hell again--and wobbled to Jason. “I...oh, god…”

 

Jason caught her, and Kat burst into tears.

 

She was accepted. Now it began.

 

***

 

_“Tommy! I choose you!”_

 

_“Noooooo!”_

 

Something _cold_ blasted over Tommy and he leaped upright, kicking through the throat of the intruder on instinct. He slammed the next one into the wall before recognizing Clank.

 

His bedroom was on fire. The maid had been putting it out.

 

Tommy released Clank’s throat and reached for the magic inside of him. It was a twisted, churning mess; Tommy growled and _demanded_ obedience, as if it were an unruly subject. The green flames faded to nothing.

 

Tommy looked at the maid’s body.

 

“She will be buried with full honors.” Tommy declared. “See to it.”

 

“Y-yes, your Majesty.”

 

“And see that no one enters my bedroom again without my express permission.” Tommy added. He left the room without waiting for Clank’s reply. There was no point; the footman hardly ever disagreed, and them only did when it was a truly important matter. He was competent, but more than a bit of a flatterer.

 

Tommy’s magic felt wilder than it ever had. He couldn’t stay here. He’d hurt someone. He had to get away.

 

There was so little that was truly _safe_ and for a moment Tommy felt more trapped than he ever had, but then he remembered Kat on Earth. He could visit her. Legitimate Imperial business, but he could get away, could feel _safe_ with his magic again…

 

...Safe?

 

Why did he only feel safe with her? Why was he so afraid, suddenly, of controlling his magic alone?

 

Tommy frowned.

 

...Whatever the reason, he decided, he needed to find Kat. He summoned his magic and teleported down.

 

She was in the Power Chamber. It still permitted him access; after all, he still held the Power, shameful as it was. Tommy waited to see if there was an alarm, but there was nothing.

 

Kat slept on a cot, in comfortable pillows and blankets, and Tommy felt his inner storm calm. She was fine.

 

Kat woke and gasped, scrambling to her knees. Tommy smiled. She was all right, she wasn’t hurt…”Rise.” He embraced her, happy just to have her alive, and felt calmer than he had in days.

 

“ _Emperor_ , I missed you…” Kat breathed.

 

Tommy chuckled. “What, after only a day?” He breathed in her scent. She’d bathed and smelled like some kind of flower now. “I missed you too.”

 

Kat took his hand and sat on the cot, and Tommy perched on the edge. “I told the Rangers what you ordered, Sire.” Kat began her report. “They believe that you held me prisoner and tortured me, and that I am still loyal to them.”

 

“And they trust you?” Were they really that stupid? Tommy knew Rangers weren’t the smartest people ever, but...wow.

 

Kat shook her head. “I can’t test that yet, Sire. I’m sorry.”

 

Tommy sighed. “Damnit, Kat. I need to know these things.”

 

“S...Sire, if I--”

 

Tommy backhanded her and rose to his feet, furious. Was she _contradicting_ him? He was the Emperor! He was _not_ going to tolerate second-guessing! “Your _life_ is at stake here.” He hissed. “Are you really stupid enough not to trust me?”

 

“No!” Kat threw herself to her knees. “No, I’m sorry, my Emperor, please forgive me.” Her voice caught, like it always did when she was punished.

 

Tommy sighed and rested his hand in her hair. “Forgiven.” He tilted her head up, wishing there weren’t tears in her eyes, wishing she could just _trust_ him. “Kat, if you do something wrong, they will _kill_ you.”

 

“I know, Sire.” Kat looked down. “I was too scared to try to test their trust.” She admitted.

 

“They hurt you.” Tommy was going to kill them. He’d known it was a risk, but he wanted nothing more than to tear them apart with his _bare hands_ , make them suffer for _everything_ Kat had felt.

 

“No. Not yet.” Kat whispered.

 

Tommy caressed Kat’s cheek in one hand. “Don’t be afraid. I chose you for this, Kat. You’ve been blessed by an Emperor. Isn’t that some kind of Earth luck?”

 

“Yes, Sire.” Kat agreed with a faint smile. She looked up more confidently, so proud and sure even despite her tears. “I won’t let you down, I swear it.”

 

“I know you won’t.” Tommy agreed. She was free. She would choose him. She would always choose him.

 

Someone moved.

 

Tommy sighed and stepped away from Kat. “Soon.” He promised. Then he teleported away.

 

The palace faded into view around him, and Tommy studied his hand. The storm inside him was calm, and soothed, but…

 

He let out his frustration in a breath of air and stormed off to bed.

 

***

 

It had been so long since she’d been to Earth. She’d forgotten Emily, the girl who helped Ernie run the juice bar; forgotten the taste of fruit juice and yogurt together; forgotten sun and wind and the feel of real nature.

 

It was terrifying.

 

“Hey, you okay?” Kimberly asked, all concern. She was good at that. Kat could almost see how she’d gotten her to…

 

_It’s okay. You don’t have to think of that, Kat. Just look at me. Think of me. I’m here. I’ll protect you._

 

Her Emperor was safe. Kat let her mind drift for half a second before smiling. “I forgot how good Ernie’s smoothies were.” She joked.

 

“Hey, don’t feel bad if you need a break.” Trini said. She’d come back, too, with Zack. The Emperor was winning the war, and the Rangers needed all the help they could get.

 

Kat wanted her Emperor to win. More than she had ever wanted anything.

 

“Hey, why don’t we take this to Alpha?” Kimberly suggested, holding up a bag. She’d gotten Alpha 5 a remote-control car because...well, it was Kimberly, following her logic was difficult at the best of times.

 

_Toy. Fun. Kat had played with robots when--It’s okay. You don’t have to think of that, Kat. Just look at me. Think of me. I’m here. I’ll protect you._

 

Her Emperor was safe.

 

“Good idea!” Kat agreed, smiling. “He’ll love it, I don’t want to miss this.” She smiled at Trini and Billy. “See you guys later.”

 

“You too.” Billy agreed, waving from the phone he was tinkering with. Trini nodded and smiled. Kat stood and went with Kimberly to a janitor’s closet, slipping in and teleporting out.

 

Kat stayed silent as Kimberly presented the toy, smiling and nodding and slowly edging back to the consoles. She could send her Emperor the Rangers’ plans--

 

_“I’m a good girl!” Kat had no idea if she was shouting or not--_

 

_“You’re evil as long as I say you are!”_

 

“KAT? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?”

 

She couldn’t move. She couldn’t…

  
Kat heard a low moan. It came from her mouth. Kimberly ran to her side but Kat struck her away, shoved herself back and curled under the consoles.

 

It was much later when Jason came. He knelt and talked to her like a frightened kitten, and when Kat leaped out to _kill him_ there was a sting on her neck and then blackness.

  
Rita still screamed in her mind.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done, yay...

It was not in the nature of a machine to care for family.

 

Parents cared for offspring, of course, but Gasket found that he cared even less than normal about anyone. Even his marriage to Archerina was simply so he could unite with the one person who was like him.

 

So Gasket had no idea why he spent so much time with his ‘foster brother’. Maybe he was just mimicking the human’s social programming.

 

Still, it turned out to have its advantages. As Gasket came back online, he knew that Tommy had saved him. No one else _could_ have--the Rangers’ attack had come fast and furious.

 

The only question was how much of the Palace was remaining.

 

“...Sprocket?” Gasket sat up. Sprocket sat silent and…”Brother? What happened?”

 

Tommy was staring into space. Gasket couldn’t see his face. He had a feeling he didn’t need to. “He couldn’t be revived.”

 

Gasket nodded slowly. It was...surprising. “Thank you. For--”

 

“You revived yourself.” Tommy said.

 

Something was wrong. Gasket’s error messages were beyond anything he’d thought possible. “...Sire, are you feeling all right? You are displaying atypical behavior for--”

 

“Shut up.”

 

Gasket shut up.

 

Tommy stood. Gasket caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were...green. Not the irises, the entire eye, filled with glowing magic. The armor Tommy wore was dyed pure green.

 

Tommy stretched out an arm.

 

Gasket had no sensors to register the deaths of the people in the Winnebago below. He only knew it was Zedd and Rita when Tommy teleported Zedd’s staff into his own hands.

 

“Your Majesty?” Gasket whispered.

 

For a long minute, on the ruined balcony, there was only the silence, the dark space, and the Earth, illuminated by sunshine. Tommy stood in it, silent and armored, glowing with magic.

 

“Zeo 1 has betrayed me.” Tommy said finally. He turned the staff over in his hands. “As have you.”

 

Gasket stayed silent.

 

“Memories are funny things.” Tommy explained. “They come back at the _oddest_ times.” He paused. “This is where you beg for your life.”

 

“Is Archerina all right?” Gasket asked.

 

Tommy snorted.

 

Gasket nodded. If Archerina was dead, so was the Queen, and so was the Empire. “I see no reason to beg, then.”

 

Tommy did not move. He was stock-still.

 

Then he struck.

 

***

 

Kat drifted in and out of reality for quite a few weeks.

 

They passed Kat off as a civilian, Kat realized eventually; the Rangers stopped by, unmorphed, as often as they could. They talked to her and held her hand. Kat didn’t know what happened beyond that, but one morning she woke up and felt...better.

 

A woman came in after a while and introduced herself as a therapist and said the Rangers had told her everything and it was okay to talk to her...Zeo Ranger 1. Kat said nothing. The woman sat there in silence for a while until Kat saw the flowers someone had put beside her bed.

  
She took one out and breathed in the scent.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand this is the end result of not being able to function without someone...
> 
> I swear I am just going to give up, move to Timbuktu, and herd yaks.

In history books, they study the final battle of the Zeo Rangers. It was climactic and heroic and dramatic and frequently used to illustrate how story-like history can be.

 

It was the Pink Ranger who killed the Emperor.

 

Not the first, the second, Zeo Ranger 1. As an army of monsters, strange and incomprehensible and evil but honorable, took over the galaxy, Rangers from all over began to fight. One by one they were conquered, until the Zeo Rangers offered to kill the Emperor himself.

 

No one knows how Zeo Ranger 1 managed it, but the night before, she plunged the dagger into the Emperor’s heart herself. The cleanup was simple and took only a week.

  
No one mentions that, after killing the Emperor, Zeo Ranger 1 turned the dagger on herself.

 

**_The End_ **


End file.
